July 26, 2023: Phil from Youtube channel The Blue Envelope reveals that former member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Anthony Morris III, has received a new home in Lumberton, North Carolina. The home was purchased by the Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses on the 28th March 2023. Morris (73) and his wife Susan may live at the property as long as they retain it as their principle place of residence.
Anthony Morris III was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in July 1971. He served as a Circuit Overseer from 1987 to 2002 whereupon he was made a Helper to the Service Committee at World Headquarters. Three (3) years later, from September 1, 2005, he was made a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses and he held that position until his removal was announced on February 22, 2023.
All Morning Worship videos featuring Morris have been deleted from JW.org. However, they are still available to download from this website.
The Morris’s new home in Lumberton, North Carolina, was purchased by the Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses on March 28th, 2023 according to the General Warranty Deed. According to The Blue Envelope, it is a two bed, two bath house with 1585 sq.ft. He explains that the house was put up for sale on December 12, 2022 and sale agreed was March 7, 2023 which is just over 2 weeks after Morris’s expulsion was announced. The home sold for $249,000.
In an image from Google Maps, a white vehicle is parked in his new garage. This vehicle is identical to the one where he was seen loading a box of alcohol onto the back seat. The Blue Envelope recognizes the yellow number plate as being from New York.
Why have the Morris’s moved to Lumberton, North Carolina? The Blue Envelope explains:
“Lumberton has a history for the Morris family. They took care of Susan’s parents until their deaths in New England. Her mother was the last to pass away in 1986. It appears that the following year the Morris’s moved to where the need was great. So we find them in North Carolina in 1987, mainly in rural areas outside Fayetteville, North Carolina. So, we’ll see towns like Clifton, Shannon, Lumberton pop up in their records.
“Around the time that both their boys graduated high school, Tony and Susan sold their house in Lumberton. If he hadn’t already been serving as a substitute Circuit Overseer in Rhode Island, it’s during this time in North Carolina that Tony begins working as a substitute Circuit Overseer and then eventually as a full-time Circuit Overseer during his time in North Carolina.
“The family lived in the Lumberton area for roughly eight (8) years or so and it was essentially their last permanent address before the circuit work.”
The Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses purchased an additional property in Oak Pointe on the same date it purchased a home for Morris and his wife, Susan. It remains to be seen why a second property was purchased just a short walk from the Morris’s new home but it’s most probable that it will be used to house family, friends, and others who may come to visit the Morris couple.
With this new home and new life outside the Governing Body, expelled from the inner circle of Jehovah’s Witnesses, its fair to look at this as Jehovah’s version of a “Witness Protection” program. The use of “protection” here is in relation to Tony Morris in-depth knowledge of the inner workings of the organization. In order to ensure that the organizations’ secrets are protected, one can be forgiven for speculating that this home is a sweetener to keep the man’s mouth shut. No other Jehovah’s Witnesses are treated as well when at the wrong end of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ justice system.
Morris married his wife Susan in December 1971 and they have two children, Jesse and Paul. Jesse Morris is a member of the U.S. Branch Committee of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Soon after his father was expelled from the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesse appeared on JW Broadcasting as part of the 153rd Gilead Graduation.
Source for Property Deeds: The Registry On-Line (Robeson County)
